Correct Answer: transport oxygen *
* red blood corpuscles, also known as red blood cells (rbcs), play a pivotal role in the respiratory functions of the body. their primary function is to carry oxygen from the lungs to various tissues and organs and to transport carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, from these tissues back to the lungs, where it can be exhaled. rbcs are equipped with a protein called hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen molecules; this binding facilitates the transportation of oxygen.
*
* a decrease in the number of red blood cells, a condition known as anemia, can significantly impair the body’s ability to transport oxygen. this impairment can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and even organ dysfunction, as tissues fail to receive the necessary oxygen to function effectively. this oxygen transport is crucial for the production of energy in cells, particularly through aerobic respiration, a process that relies on oxygen to help convert nutrients into usable energy.
*
* while red blood cells are critical for oxygen transport, they do not have significant roles in other functions like blood clotting, water retention, or waste elimination directly. blood clotting is primarily managed by platelets and clotting factors, whereas water balance is regulated by the kidneys through mechanisms involving several other types of cells and hormones. waste elimination is also a function largely performed by the kidneys, liver, and other organ systems, which do not directly involve red blood cells.
*
* therefore, a decrease in the number of red blood corpuscles specifically impairs the transport of oxygen, rather than affecting blood clotting, water retention, or waste elimination. this specificity underlines the essential role that red blood cells play in respiratory functions and overall metabolic processes within the body.
|